Masquerade
by crazyanimefreak15
Summary: EDITED! It had been 6 years since the Teen Titans dispersed. I would like to say that it was because the world became quiet and no longer needed us, but, that would be a lie. And there is no reason for me to lie to you. RaeXRob NOW A TWOSHOT!
1. Raven

_It had been 6 years since the Teen Titans dispersed. I would like to say that it was because the world became quiet and no longer needed us, but, that would be a lie. And there is no reason for me to lie to you. The press was told on the day we officially disbanded that it was because the heroes that made up the group of young heroes were growing up and no longer teenagers. As such, they were offered the chance to join the Justice League of America which many were going to do. Others were going to slip into a quiet life and just raise a family._

_Only a part of that was actually the truth. Because we had grown from teenagers to adults, the Justice League offered us memberships, and many were going to take them up on the offer, but there were still many that did not. And there was enough of that many that it was thought that the Titans could keep going._

_But, with people from the teams missing, the teams lost their diversity in powers and ability causing the teams to fail as heroes. And there weren't enough people to fill in these gaps. It wasn't until it was too late when it was decided that the Titans couldn't function anymore. It wasn't until Aqualad, Mas y Minos, and Jericho who came together to form the new Titans East was killed in a battle that it was finally agreed upon._

_That was when we came forth and declared that the Teen Titans would be no more. That was when we reveled to the world that members of the Titans had left for the Justice League. But, it didn't matter to the people anymore. The Teen Titans lost its popularity long before the announcement. _

_It took me 6 years to finally let this secret out, that I might as well reveal more about the Titans after the split. Cyborg and Starfire had taken the Justice League on their offer, as did Robin in much the similar fashion that Batman did. He told them that if they needed him, he will offer his help, but he will not be under their rule. He then left to become his own man, leaving behind the persona of Robin and taking up the name Nightwing. This left just Beastboy and I to stand as the lone remaining original Titans. This left just Beastboy and I to stand and lead the entire remaining group of teenage heroes._

_We failed._

_Now the truth is out; the truth of our…no…__**my**__ failure that lead to the death of 4 young heroes who just wanted to help the world._

Six years ago I was known as the half-demon sorceress, Raven. But, once the Teen Titans were disbanded I abandoned the name and took up a civilian life in Chicago, Illinois. Don't get me wrong, the Justice League offered me another chance to join after the announcement, but, after the disaster that was my leadership of the Titans, I felt that I didn't deserve to call myself a hero anymore. Now I work at the Chicago Tribune as a reporter. Just a word different then my previous occupation; instead of making the papers, now I write the papers. And I was pretty good at it, that I've been told. I've also taken up a new name, Rachel Roth.

Rachel was not Raven and Raven was not Rachel. When Rachel came to be, Raven ceased to exist. I don't know what happened to the part of me that had been Raven, it was like, when the Titan East was killed, Raven was force back into reality. She wasn't an almighty titan from the Greek myths that they took their name from. She was just a girl that was only running away from the fact that she was destined to do horrible things.

Maybe that was when it started to happen; after the defeat of Trigon. That might have been when Raven started to disappear and Rachel started to be created.

But I never spent much time dwelling on this thought. Now, Rachel was just queitly living out the remained of her life. Getting a job, making money, paying taxes, that was what Rachel's life consisted of. Men were sometimes apart of this existance, but they never stayed long. I was too intense and at the sametime, too detached. That was what the usual excuse was.

I dropped all contact with my previous team members before I took up my new name. I didn't even join society again until after the first year. I estimated that that would be how long it took for them to stop looking. My body's matured during this time, giving me a nice shape, I guess, and, with my job causing me to be out in the sun more, my skin has tanned abit. I'm still pale, by normal standards, but, at least I'm no longer inhumanly so. I've let my hair grow out more, usually arranging it to cover my chakra gem-seeing as most people find it odd and, as such, hinders my search for a job-but, it's still its natural purple color. I found no need to dye it seeing as I'm not one of those major reporters that are sent to interview heroes, and, as such, there is not much of a chance for them to find me. I was always glad that during battles I kept my hood up to hide my face.

It's not that I'm avoiding them, it's just that….well….actually…..I guess I really am just avoiding them. I failed as a hero…I failed them. I can't stand to face them….not after what happened. I know them too well. They'll claim they don't hold it against me, only because of our past together. But they would all secretly blame me. And that would be more painful than if they all abandoned me.

But that was another time…another life. Now I'm just Rachel. And Rachel had a job to do. That job was to attend a masquerade at a hall here in Chicago. It was a masquerade to raise money for orphanages. Isn't that ironic? A party where people hide behind masks for a charity trying to give children a face?

I dunned my gown which was a floor length deep blue gown. The sleeves hung off my shoulders and consisted of three bands, one just off my shoulder, one at my elbow, and one at my wrist that was connected by the cloth that hung down forming a sleeve that draped down to just above my knees if I let my arms hang at my sides. My mask was simpler; it covered my eyes in much the same way that Robin's did, just without the white, the color matched my dress and the ends fanned out. Red gems were placed near the ends that matched the chakra gem that I had on my forehead. I had also picked out a pair of black heels that wrapped around my foot.

As I walked up, I simply flashed my press pass at the man at the door before being let inside. The hall that was hosting this gathering was huge and luxurious, too much so for my taste. The high ceiling was painted up with a mural, the walls were a nice calm brownish, goldish color, and on the wall opposite of the entrance there was a stone archway that leads out into a terrace of sorts. Beyond that was a beautiful lake.

If it hadn't been for the fact that I was here to work, I would have preferred to spend the entire time out there as opposed to walking around and talking to a large number of people in a room that was filled with slow music, talking, and bodies. I've gotten better at talking with other people. I've even perfected talking with emotions without actually feeling anything. Yes, just because the heroine Raven was gone did not mean that her powers were gone as well; which meant I still had to meditate everyday and still had to keep my emotions in check. But, due to misuse, my powers are not as strong as Raven's used to be, nor am I as nimble as Raven was. But, seeing as I have no more use for them, I do not mind much.

As I explored deeper into the hall, the photographer that accompanied me left to take pictures. Donald was only a little older than I was, and pretty experienced when it came to photographs. He was my partener in most of the stories that I am given to do. This resulted in a mutual understanding between the two of us. He knew I didn't want him following me around like a lost puppy, so he left to do his work, leaving me alone to begin the interroga -err…interviews.

A lot of people I knew of were there; a few actors and actresses, the mayor and their spouses of a few towns, and several governors that knew each other along with, again, their spouses. Some people would give me their names (it was a masquerade after all, some people had masks so exuberant that I couldn't recognize them), but some just said they'd rather not. There was one, though, that really caught my attention. I approached him about an hour into the masquerade, and it started out just like the 137 other interviews that I had done, and I had figured it would be just like the 156 more that I had to do.

Grayson was taller than me by just under a head. His body was well toned, to say the least. His long, shoulder length hair was covered by a fedora that had three feathers in it. A red one that went straight back and two yellow feathers on either side of the red that curled outwards, creating a bird, effect on his hat. The tuxedo coat he wore was black and fit nicely over his broad shoulders to cover a red shirt underneath that matched the simple mask he wore to outline his shining blue eyes. His pants fit his frame nicely and continued onto stop just where they needed to, just above his shiny black shoes.

"Would you be willing to be interviewed for the Chicago Tribune?" I had asked, faking a cheerful note and a smile. I found that acting like a diztsy girl will yeild more results with a single man. Not that this came to any surprise to me when I figured it out years ago. It's hard for a man to open up when he's guarding what he says as to not appear dumb in comparison. It has something to do with pride, or, atleast that is was Donald explained to me when I confessed this observation to him one day.

"Only if that means I can talk with you." was his response. Don't get me wrong; what he said isn't what stood out. I'm a reporter. The number of jerks and drunken creeps that have said some variation of that has reached a number so high, I stopped counting. That was sometime after 364….and that was three years ago. No, what was said wasn't what caught my attention. It was _how_ he said it.

He didn't make it sound like a cheap, overused pick-up line. He made it sound like he really meant it. And it caught me off guard for a moment before I pushed it to the back of my mind. Not like I would ever see him again after this anyways, best not to get attached.

"Yes, I would be the one interviewing you." I told him with a smile, trying to play it off as if I didn't notice what he meant. I did not want to encoarage any flirting that evening. I really did not have the time.

The man smiled, finding amusement out of something. The smile seemed to brighten up his person, but, in the very calming fashion. His blue eyes even seemed to gain a spark at this comment. It only added more to his aura of mystery. "Then ask away."

"What is your name as you would like it to appear in the paper? Or would you rather stay anonymous?"

"Grayson, G-R-A-Y-S-O-N." He said, spelling it out as I wrote it down in my small notebook that I always carried around when I left for the field. I fought back the urge to tell him that it wasn't that hard to figure out how to spell that.

"Okay…what is it that you do, Mr. Grayson?" I continued, trying to get the interview to continue so if could end.

"I worked with a very well known business man and am here in his stead." He responded in a very well mannered tone, though, he still made it clear that he'd rather keep his business out of the papers. I had to pursue this. Any chance to take that mischevious light from his eyes.

"And whom might that be? " I asked, still being very pleasant, still acting like I didn't notice his intent at the end of his last response.

"He'd probably not want the world to know that." Grayson responded with another amused smile, which caused my heart to skip a beat. I dropped my gaze from him to my notebook to write that in. Not that I needed to, mind you, but it gave me a moment to calm down before I faced him again.

"Then why is it that you came instead?" My cheerful facade was still in play.

"I asked him if I could." Grayson responded, still looking amused.

"…for any particular reason?" I asked when he didn't extend on what he said. Though, when his eyes failed to lose any of the amusment in them, I knew his was trying to get on my nerves.

"Because I'm looking for someone. Now, would you mind if I asked you a question?" He asked, is amusing aura calming to a sincere one.

I frowned, not sure what he could possibly want to know. "Ummm….sure."

"Would you like to dance? I'll answer all your questions as we do." He asked, his blue eyes focused on mine.

It was about then when I realized the feeling of suspicion that had been slowly building the whole time I had been talking to him. Something wasn't right, there was something he was getting at, and it wasn't just the usual gutter-minded events that most men usually tried for. But, when he held out his hand and I realized what was getting me so on edge. I knew him from somewhere. I couldn't quite place him, though. I took his hand, knowing that I could protect myself if it came down to that.

And, as he led me to the dance floor, he finally started to talk unbidden.

"I'm looking for a girl; someone, a really special friend of mine, whom I haven't seen in years. I have a feeling that I could find her here in Chicago." He continued before pausing as we turned to face each other. His hands wrapped around mine and his other went to my waist as my free hand when to his shoulder. Grayson started to lead the dance, moving slowly in time with the calm music.

"And what gives you that idea?" I asked, my sickly cheery tone gone for an even one, Greyson continued to lead us through the steps fluently. By this time, though, the music was fading into the background, my mind concentrating on him wholey, looking for any signs of a threat.

"It was just a theory, just an inkling, you could say." He said, continuing his calm speech, either unaware of my change from ditszy to alert, or he wasn't worried.

"You're making it sound like you found her." I responded, calmly, my body still following his leads, but my mind trying to get ahead of him. The hardest part was accepting that I already knew why he was telling me this story.

"I would like to think I have, Ms. Roth." The smile widen slightly. That was it. This was his objective. And it was one that I had hoped wasn't true. But, as he kept his hold on me, continuing his movements that I mimiced, my hope was dashed.

"How did you know my name?" I dropped all pretend kindness in my tone for a neutral tone with an under layer of warning. The warning of danger that I had sensed came back with a vengeance and I tensed up, ready to react.

Grayson didn't seem to notice any of this as he continued dancing with me, leading the two of us through the steps and through the dance floor in a calm, slow pace that no longer matched where our conversation was going…at least, where I had started to lead it to. But when he started to speak again, his voice was calm and his bright eyes stared into mine. It was like he failed to realize my warnings.

"She was beautiful when we were teens together. And she would move with such elegant confidence that I wondered if she always knew something more than I did. And her grace was only matched by the birds by which she took her name from. And, now, as an adult, that all only grew."

I was silent as his words started to hit home. It was worse then I had thought.

"Who are you looking for?" The words that tumbled out were laced in a slight wishful fear.

"Raven, I've missed you so much." He said with a smile, which dropped to a surprised expression when I suddenly pulled free, stopping the last bit of calm that happened between me and this familiar man. My mind ceasing all attempts to place him. I no longer wanted to know who he was. I just wanted to run.

"My name's not Raven." I told him as I quickly moved off the floor and into the crowd, my body moving to and fro with fluency that I had thought I lost with the lose of Raven. I managed through the large gathering quickly without inturrupting anyone. Something that I had thought Greyson, being broader than my slender form, would not beable to accomplish. I wouldn't say that I was running, but with the speed at which I was moving at, I might have well been. I didn't even notice where I was going when I walked under the arch and outside into the cool night air. I stopped only for a moment when the cool air hit me before I moved faster. I wasn't sure where I was going,but I had to get away from him.

"Wait!" He called as Grayson came after me, he caught my hand gently. I don't know why I stopped at the contact, but, I did, and I turned to him, my eyes meeting his for only moment before I dropped mine. I wasn't able to handle the pity that they held.

"It wasn't your fault, Raven." He said gently, causing me to have to fight back Raven's flashes of memory. Thier smiles...the times spent with them...thier hopes...thier blood...and them laying in a casket as it was being lowered int othe ground.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I told him coldly, wishing for him to disappear. I struggled to keep the memories at bay. My wall that I have built and maintained to separate me from them started to crumble. And that was the only thing that kept me together.

"Please don't run away from me anymore." He pleaded. His pity caused me to put up another face, another life. I had to keep that life. I had to hold onto Rachel. Raven wasn't able to handle it, but Rachel didn't have to.

"You have a hold on my hand, I can't." I told him, intentionally acting dumb. Intentionally acting like I didn't know what he was really getting at because, it was all I could do now to keep from breaking. I couldn't let my mask shatter.

"Please come back to me, Raven." He continued pleading desperately. My gaze remained fixed on the pavment we stood on.

"Raven ceased to exist six years ago." Even, cold, detached, that was how it came out sounding. It was my last effort to get him to stop. To shatter his pity.

He suddenly pulled at my hand, pulling me closer to him as he wrapped his arms around me before I knew what was going on. My chin finding a place on his shoulder. It was that moment that both Raven and Rachel became one. Both were little girls just trying to hide.

"I refuse to believe that." He whispered to into my ear as he regained his sly smile. I couldn't see how the smile curled his lips, I just felt it.

"Why are you looking for her?" The words just fell passed my lips. That was twice in under ten minutes. I didn't care anymore.

"I never got to tell her something important before she left." His voice was soft and his breath brushed by my ear in a way that caused a shiver to climb my spine.

"And what was that?" I asked, my own tone taking on the quiet calmness that his held.

His response was a pressure against my lips as his soft lips found mine. I should have pushed away, my hands went to his arm and chest with every intention of doing so. I should have pushed away, but I didn't. I did the worse thing I could have possibly done. I kissed him back.

I finally figured it out as our bodies pressed closer together as our lips kept pressed together. I had known the whole time who he was. And as his sweet taste filled my mouth I broke away to say,

"I'm sorry, Robin."

Hmmmm…what does she mean by that? Is she sorry for the fact that she disappeared for six years or could it be that she's rejecting him? You decide. And, since this is a oneshot, I don't plan on continuing. But, I am curious, what do you imagine happened next? Where do you think this went? Hey, maybe if I find your idea really intresting I might ask you to use it. OO! That would be cool! A diffrent chapter for a diffrent idea?


	2. Robin

Finally! After all this time! I have decided to put on another chapter! And, for those of you who do come back to read this one, thank-you. And, unless you have perfect recall, I'm sure you had to reread the first part. But, if you didn't, do. I have edited it so it is now better then before! Anywho, onto the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own the The Teen Titans, Batman, nor do I own Superman.

* * *

I left to become my own man; to become stronger, to become a better fighter. I left to become a man that I knew _she_ deserved. It wasn't until it was too late that I realized that I was wrong. I should have never left her alone. I wasn't there for her when she needed me the most.

I failed her, all because I made a mistake.

I had followed this wanna-be criminal to a warehouse in Gotham, and I went after him alone. My first mistake. Turned out that the wanna-be criminal had some real dangerous friends. And, after the resultant fight and explosion, I was left in coma for a week. I was lucky that Batman pulled me out. Of course, I might have preferred to have died. I found out when I finally woke up that Aqualad, Mas y Menos, and Jericho had been killed the day after my screw-up. And, as a result- unofficially, of course- what was left of the Titans had officially been disbanded the following afternoon.

Needless to say, I called Raven up before the minute was up, but I was too late. Five days too late. Beastboy told me that she disappeared- quiet literally- after the announcement. She just walked off the stage and disappeared using her magic before Beastboy could stop her. He couldn't have done anything to stop her, I knew that. Raven was as stubborn as they come. No doubt she had planned that before she even walked to the podium. Beastboy didn't stand a chance.

Not that that stopped me from yelling at him. I blamed him for letting her go. I blamed him for her solitude now. I blamed him for not being there. I blamed him for everything when I knew it was entirely my fault. I should have never left. I should have never been so stupid. I should have been there for her. I should have told her the truth.

For the next 5 years, I spent my days searching the internet for clues, and my nights following leads. Every young woman with purple hair I investigated. I was aware that she may have even changed that. I was also aware that she also could be in another universe. But I had to hope she was still on Earth. It was the only thought keeping me from falling into the dark gloom of overbearing guilt and regret.

Of course, I wasn't alone in my search. It didn't take long for the others to figure out what I was doing and force their way in. They gave me little choice in the matter, but I knew it would take me decades to track down every person that maybe Raven, so I took the help. I sent them to track down the long shots. I would always feel guilty about this, but I wanted to be the one to find her. I wanted to be the one to pull her from her own guilt ridden exile that she no doubt sent herself in.

The help they gave me slowly trickled into nothing. Everyday they would go out and track these leads with me. It slowed to every few days after only a month or two, the Justice League requiring their attention. By the end of the second year, I would only have one or two of them helping me every few weeks. It was after the third year that Cyborg and Starfire stopped all together.

"Friend, please. You must stop this. You are hurting yourself with this. If friend Raven had the wish to be found, we would have found her by now." Starfire tried to plead with me.

"Yeah, man, just step away. She'll come back to us when she is ready." Cyborg's excuse.

"You guys are giving up too soon! We have to find her! We need to show her we still care about her!" Beastboy argued back, he was on my side. But I always wondered what motivated his continuing search. Was it guilt laden, like I wondered everyday if my own determination was often spawn from, or whether it was from his deep sense of loyalty. Maybe it was both, I never really asked.

All I know is that Beastboy helped me nearly everyday. He worked himself almost to the point of exhaustion trying to juggle his League work and help me track down leads. But, as I knew would eventually happen, his strength let out and he reached his limit. It took him about 8 months before the periods between his help started to become really noticeable. It was at the close of the fourth year that he finally gave into his exhaustion.

"We can't do this anymore. I have to say this, but, she's gone. She's gone and I can't keep searching. And, nether can you." He finally told me one day. It was on the fourth anniversary of her disappearance.

I shut them out after that. I locked myself away and devoted myself entirely to searching for her. I'll admit, I lost myself to the desperation. It was no longer out of guilt or loyalty, by this point, I _needed _to find her, but, often times I found myself falling into a state of hopelessness, failing victim to the depression I started to develop.

And the leads starting to run dry were not helping. I soon found myself losing days to the darkness that I had cling to me. And, when I would snap out of it, it would come back strong at the despair I would feel at losing all that time.

By the end of the fifth year, I stopped. A week before her fifth anniversary, I shut down the searches, I turned off the computers, and tore down the maps of the world from my walls. After all was done, I stood in the room and let the shadows hide the walls covered in pin holes from the countless failed leads. I let the dark cover the monitor that had held the many searches and research that I had spent the past five years pouring over. And, as I stood there, I felt the guilt and despair well up in my chest that was only quelled by the fatigue that followed the years of sleepless nights.

I left the room and headed for my bed.

For the next year, I worked harder than ever fighting crime wherever it showed up so that I could chase away the guilt that the moments of idleness would bring. I worked myself to the point of exhaustion just so I could sleep at night.

Once news of my emersion was out there, the three remaining members of my former team showed up, trying to catch up. I never would deny them, but I had nothing to say to them. My failure denied me the right to confide my depression to them. So, I spent the time amusing their need for a social interaction between us and they spent the time trying to bring up joyful memories about the past that didn't include…her.

That's how it was for about a year. I just continued on with my life, fighting crime and fighting back the guilt and depression that came with losing what could have been. I avoided the room where that I had pretty much lived out of the past 5 years. All traces of my search for her had been removed, but the memories where still there. As long as I could avoid even looking at the door, the painful thoughts could be held back.

Then, that all changed. Batman asked me to patrol Gotham one night, out of the blue. I asked if there had been something going on in the city that he needed my help with, but he said no. He said he just wanted me there. It was completely out of character for him, and I knew there was more to the story. Between my curiosity and the lack of action the past few nights, I agreed to the request.

The night started out with nothing going on. We traveled about the city together, moving in silence that was natural for the caped man and anyone who worked beside him. But, finally, after a few hours, the man finally spoke as we paused to survey the streets below while perched on a roof top.

"Superman called me this morning." He started, stating it so suddenly that it made me jump slightly.

"Really? Does he have a problem or something?" Was that it? Did Batman call me out to ask me to watch Gotham while he helps Superman? I didn't see why he couldn't have just asked me that over the phone. He had asked before.

"No, an interesting story to tell," Batman said, shifting to turn his head towards me. "He said that the Daily Planet transferred in a reporter from Chicago, Illinois. And that this man had some very interesting things to say about his previous coworkers. One in particular stood out, a woman; a minor event reporter with natural violet hair and violet eyes. He also says that she started working there about five years ago. Very interesting, is it not?"

I didn't respond. What could I say? I had given up on finding her, and, yet another lead just fell into my lap? Every range of emotion coursed through me in one painful wave; Hope, guilt, fear, joy, the whole range.

"What's her name?" I finally managed out hoarsely.

"Rachel Roth." That was the last thing said before I took off from that roof top and headed towards the place I called home. It was almost morning by the time I made it into my home, taking the path straight towards the room. There were no flashes of memories as I entered the room, I didn't even pause at the doorway of the dust covered room. I just sat in the dust coated chair and flipped on the computers. I had a moment to think as the disused machines booted up.

My heart was racing, beating so loud against my ribs I was wondering if the beats were echoing throughout the room. But, it had every reason to be. If both Superman and Batman felt it was necessary to pass on this information to me, it had to be something. They wouldn't have plunged me back down this path without a level of certainty.

I was pulled out of my thoughts at the computer finishing its load and started to work. I quickly worked my way into the Chicago Tribune's employee files and pulled up Rachel Roth. The picture that greeted me made my heart stop. Her eyes weren't as brilliant as I had remembered them to be. They were dulled with the guilt she no doubt felt at what had happened six years ago, but there was no doubt in my mind that they belonged to her. She had some bangs which were probably to hide the gem on her forehead, but her hair was still the same violet color falling in the same straight lines that she had possessed when he had last seen her and if her hair had gotten longer, it was only by an inch or less.

I finally remembered to breathe as I turned my attention away from the profile picture of her face and down to her personal information. Her name was Rachel A. Roth, and I wondered how she had come up with the name. Her mother had been human, as such, she had to have a last name. Perhaps the last name was the same as her mother's? I had no way of finding this out. The only name I had come to know Raven's mother by was Arella, and Raven had told us that her mother acquired that name when she came to Azarath. The name, though was not what really made me wonder. It was about the degrees that Raven acquired. They were started shortly after Trigon's defeat, thus the creation of Rachel was started beyond the few years I had been looking at. It never occurred to me that Raven would have created a life that she could lead before the Teen Titans had even reached adulthood.

All the classes were taken online, giving her a wide range of degrees, including Business, Journalism, and even Nursing. The last one made those days she would request off, then disappear for the entire day before coming back exhausted, make more sense; after all, clinicals that nursing students were required to do would take up the majority of the day. **(A/N for those of you who don't know, when you are taking the nursing progam, you are required to intern at different hospitals doing different things for a curtained required amount of hours.) **She built Rachel quiet an education in the six years between the defeat of Trigon and the start of her joint reign with Beastboy as leader of the Titans. Though, this fact had hurt me a bit. Was she only building this profile for something to retire to, or was she always planning on disappearing?

But I pushed back the wonderings. I had no way of figuring it out, so, to answer those kinds of questions, I would have to ask her directly. Also listed in her file was her address. But I quickly pushed the idea of showing up at her door out of my head. She disappeared to be alone. If I just showed up, she might just disappear again, this time even fleeing to another universe. I would have to find her publicly and ease into the reveal of who I was. But, then I had to wonder. How would she not recognize what I looked like? We had lived with each other for eight years.

But, as quickly as the problem presented itself, it was solved by another section of her file; upcoming events that she was to cover. There was a masquerade that she was to cover coming up in a few days. It was perfect! All I had to do was acquire an invitation. And, a quick hack into the guest list at the event's guest list solved that problem as well. And, what was better, I wouldn't even have to do anymore-ehem- 'frowned upon actions', Bruce was one of those requested to go. I knew he would be happy for any excuse not to go, these kinds of things where not something he liked.

A quick phone call only proved this; though, Alfred then requested that he be the one to pack what I would be wearing to the event. I hesitated, but agreed to it, he would know more about what would be best to wear anyways.

A few days later, I found myself in a hotel room in Chicago, Illinois, getting dressed in a suit that Alfred had picked out and packed for me. As I pulled out the red shirt, I cringed. It was the same red as my Robin suit. That was followed by the matching mask. There was a reason that my Nightwing suit had no red in it. I was sick of the color! But, what was really the icing on this God-awful cake was the fedora, well, the feathers in particular. The yellow feathers fanning out from the red feather made me roll my eyes. "Really, Alfred? You really are forcing me back to the Robin colors, aren't you? Or…is this Bruce's idea of a joke?" I had to ask out loud to nobody…wait…why did it make me think of my birdarangs? **((A/N How many of you figured out the reason for the feather placement back in part 1?))** As I pulled out the coat and pants that went with it, I found myself relieved that they were at least a solid black. With the inspection done, I headed for the bathroom to shower and change before I had to leave for the masquerade.

I entered and couldn't help but smile, the large crowds and the over luxuriousness the building must really irritate her. It may have gotten better over the years, but Raven still had to hate being in a crowded room; and, if my attempts to give her a real amethyst necklace one year for Christmas was anything to go by, she preferred simplicity over luxury any day.

I turned my attention back to the mission at hand. I still had no plan as to how to go about dealing with Raven. I didn't even realize that I didn't even know what I wanted to do when I did find her until I started to think about it a few days ago. I still didn't know what I wanted. She built a life here. For all I knew, she may have even found someone here. And, even though I did not want to accept that idea, I had no right to just come in and ruin that.

I was really starting to panic at the lack of plan I had when a voice broke me from my formulating.

"Would you be willing to be interviewed for the Chicago Tribune?" Came a voice from my side. I turned and found myself looking straight at the object of my thoughts. Raven stood there holding her notebook in her right hand and her pen in her left. Her eyes were wide with a joy that caused my heart to drop in depression before I realized that it looked shallow. I cheered up at the realization that it seemed to be only an act; but, now how to proceed with this?

"Only if that means I can talk with you." I responded with the first thing I thought of. I was falling back to my persona of Robin, and back then, Robin would have found great amusement in teasing Raven during a situation like this.

"Yes, I would be the one interviewing you." Was her response to my playful flirt and I couldn't help but smile at this. I had to poke at the mask she wore. She was pretending to be someone she was not, and that, I decided, would be my first mission.

"Then ask away."

"What is your name as you would like it to appear in the paper? Or would you rather stay anonymous?"

"Grayson, G-R-A-Y-S-O-N ." I spelled out, feeling a sense of accomplishment at the sight of her soft lips tightening with the force of keeping the comment she clearly wanted to say, back. Oh, yes, I was feeling just like my teenage self again. Playfully teasing Raven in the attempt to get her to show some emotion.

"Okay…what is it that you do, Mr. Grayson?" She said, her previous amount of cheerfulness slightly down with her breathy sentence used to keep her tongue in check. But if this conversation continued in this direction, then Bruce would have to do a lot to keep the questions down. I wasn't actually part of the company.

"I worked with a very well known business man and am here in his stead." I stated simply, knowing instantly that I should not have said that by the mischievous glint that flashed in her eyes. She was going to get back at me for my teasing.

"And who might that be?" She asked, picking up a sweet undertone that made her appear as a ditzy girl, but not to someone who knew better. At least I took solace in the fact that one of the many things that I loved about her was not gone; she did not take anything lying down. And this thought caused an amused smile to pass my lips again. I would just have to show her what cockiness would get her.

"He'd probably not want the world to know that." I said and I saw something else flash behind her mask before she quickly dropped her gaze to her notebook before she started to write vigorously within it. I knew I was having an effect on her act, though, for her to react like this…dare I hope that she has feelings for me? Even after all this time? I knew she didn't recognize me yet, but if she was still anything like the Raven I knew, there was something in the back of her mind that did.

"Then why is it that you came instead?" She finally continued after a moment that she used to calm herself.

"I asked him if I could." I responded, continuing my playful teasing.

"…for any particular reason?" She asked after a few moments, her irritation was starting to poke through and I knew that it would not be long. Now, I just had to shift my focus to getting her to recognize me.

"Because I'm looking for someone." I stated simply, still smiling despise the panic I felt at letting that slip. I didn't know if I was ready. I guess I would just have to take a page from Beastboy's book and just wing it.

"Would this someone have a name?" She pressed on, her eyes beneath the mask made it clear that after that statement, there would be no deferring. Guess, I just would have to change the mood.

"Yes, but would you mind if I asked you a question?"

The frown that took hold of her lips made it clear that I had taken her off guard, and now, she was not slipping back to that cheerful reporter façade again. Good, I would just need to keep her off guard. "Ummm….sure." She responded hesitantly.

"Would you like to dance? I'll answer all your questions as we do." I asked, just going with the wimp that took hold of me, I wanted to dance with her. I gazed into her eyes that had now filled with suspicion and when she didn't answer after a few moments, I wondered if I did something wrong. So, I held out my hand to her, fighting the urge to retract it when she tensed a fraction of a bit. A shift in attitude so slight that had it not been for my training, I would have never noticed it. I was making her nervous, but it was too late to go back. I hoped that if I didn't retract my hand, she wouldn't think my intent was pure, which it was, for the most part.

I was overjoyed when she slowly lifted her hand and took mine. And so I started to lead her to the dance floor. A part of my mind noticed how soft and warm her hand was, and that same part of my mind flashed back to the other times I was able to feel the silky warmth of her pale skin. From the times I caught her as she fell, to the few 'accidental' brushes against her skin as I moved passed her in the hall or other such places. I broke away from that thought and went back to easing into the truth.

"I'm looking for a girl; someone, a really special friend of mine, whom I haven't seen in years. I have a feeling that I could find her here in Chicago." I said before I turned to her and took the proper male dance position: my one hand on her waist, the other holding her hand. My heart jumped at our closeness and, I was suddenly made _very_ aware of the…'changes' her small frame had undergone, the changes that her thin, deep blue dress only seem to highlight. I had to fight the want to study her new form in this new light. I was making her nervous enough as it was, if she noticed me studying her luscious…errr…nice form, that would be the end of this whole thing.

"And what gives you that idea?" She asked predictably after I paused to start our dance. She followed my lead, our bodies moving together with such fluency, I couldn't help but remember the days we sparred together. We had a connection back then, a connection I broke when I left. I kept my smile. She was here now, right before me. I knew she was okay.

"It was just a theory, just an inkling that I had." I responded, before the old guilt took hold. I focused back on her, noticing that she had loosened up and I wondered if it was time to bring her back into my life.

"You're making it sound like you found her."

"I would like to think I have, Ms. Roth." I responded, knowing that the foreign name on my tongue would not go unnoticed by her.

"Congra-wait…how did you know my name?" Her masked dropped, with her defenses going up. She no longer was pretending to be the cheerfully oblivious girl I knew she was not. I took it as a good sign that she did not break our dancing. She didn't even break her stride. I gazed into her eyes, knowing she would be able to read the sincerity of what I was saying within my own eyes.

"She was beautiful when we were teens together. And she would move with such elegant confidence that I wondered if she always knew something more than I did. And her grace was only matched by the birds by which she took her name from. And, now, as an adult, that all only grew."

Her eyes dropped. "Who are you looking for?" She asked, her voice was quiet and even.

"Raven, I've missed you so much." I smiled saying this, a smile that dropped when she stopped our dance, breaking the connection we had started to repair, and, it was then that I realized how big of a mistake I had made.

"My name's not Raven." She stated coldly, as she turned and ran. I messed up, and now I was losing her. I had forgotten the most important fact about Raven; her frailty. I broke her mask that held back all that she didn't know how to deal with, and now I was losing her again.

As the thought of losing her passed my mind, I shut it down and ran after her. If she vanished again, I would just search for her again. I would keep looking until she figured out that I was not leaving.

"Wait!" I called as she came back into view as we passed under the arch. I knew the only reason I was able to catch up was the fact that she would never where heels on a normal day. I finally reached out and grabbed her hand; she stopped at the contact, causing hope to swell in my chest despite the fact she did not turn to look at me.

"It wasn't your fault, Raven."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She struggled to remain denying what I said, and I was suddenly confronted with the fear of losing her in another way.

"Please don't run away from me anymore."

"You have a hold on my hand, I can't." She fell back to her shattered mask, and that made me worry more. I needed her to realize that she wasn't alone. I needed her to acknowledge me; I wondered if it would be the only way to keep her with me.

"Please come back to me, Raven."

"Raven ceased to exist six years ago." Even, cold, detached, she was really struggling. So, I pulled her close to me; her tiny frame not putting much resistance as I pulled her close, my fear starting to leave as I regained my confidence. I finally figured out why I felt the need to search her out despite all those years of failure.

"I refuse to believe that." I whispered, a small smile coming back.

"Why are you looking for her?" Her voice was still even and detached.

"I never got to tell her something important before she left."

"And what was that?" I decided to just show her, as I caught her lips with my own. I did my best to convey everything that I needed to tell her. And, when she responded by kissing me back, it only encouraged me to hold it longer until she broke away, her lips still brushing mine as she said in a whispered;

"I'm sorry, Robin."

* * *

There you have it. Part the two. Just something I had floating around for a while. One day, I wondered what would have kept Robin from not stopping Raven, and here is the answer!

Next story I will work on? Probably a story called, 'Oops...A Cat Story'. It'll be about Raven and Kydd Wykkd getting turned into cats, and all the problems that arise from that! Along with maybe a little bit of romance...

Yes, if you havn't guessed it yet, I don't do cannon pairings. And RaeXWyk don't get enough love!


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